US urges Ukraine to work with UN on civilian corridors

The United States called on Kiev’s new leaders Tuesday to work with the United Nations and other aid groups as it seeks to allow civilians to flee eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met demands from Moscow and ordered the establishment of humanitarian corridors to provide safe passage out of the areas caught up in fighting.

“Their goal here is to explore options to remove civilians from harm’s way,” said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, adding Kiev’s top priority was “the safety of its citizens.”

“We are encouraging them with this or any other related effort to work closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other international organizations to plan for any internally displaced persons,” she added.

Fighting has raged as the Ukrainian authorities have sought to wrest back control of towns seized by pro-Russian separatists, with most battles primarily taking place along Ukraine’s border with Russia and Slavyansk.

Rights groups have questioned whether Ukraine’s growing reliance on artillery fire in Slavyansk, under rebel control since April, and neighboring towns is entirely justified.

But Psaki said “the Ukrainian government has every right to take steps to promote calm and stability on the ground.”

She could not predict whether opening civilian corridors was a way of allowing people to flee ahead of a stepped-up government assault, after Poroshenko vowed to stop the fighting this week.

“They’re dealing with a range of armed separatists on the ground who are posing a threat to the safety and security of their own people,” Psaki said.